Major Evacuation Lawyers

Many kinds of emergencies, both natural and man-made, can necessitate a major evacuation. While planning may be in place for the types of natural disasters that are likely to strike a community, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, local residents are often caught off guard when human actions cause a sudden emergency situation.

Some of the deadliest disasters in history were caused by human activity—or more accurately, human error. The nuclear accident at Chernobyl; the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon oil spills; the Flint, Michigan water crisis; the Union Carbide plant gas leak; the Jilin chemical explosion; the Tennessee coal ash spill; asbestos contamination in Libby, Montana; the Fukushima meltdown; the list of historical man-made disasters is long and tragic. 

Unlike natural disasters, which may be considered unavoidable “acts of God,” man-made disasters can usually be traced back to carelessness or negligence. And that means the individuals and organizations responsible for disasters can be held legally accountable. 

When disaster strikes, the most immediate consideration is community safety. But after the dust settles and the damage is assessed, those affected by a disaster want justice to be served. Morgan & Morgan has been fighting for the people, against the powerful, for more than 30 years. We’ve brought lawsuits resulting from some of the biggest disasters in recent memory. As the nation’s largest personal injury firm, we are uniquely positioned to advocate for the victims of disasters—whenever, wherever, and however they occur. 

Types of Man-Made Disasters 

Over time, people have learned to adapt to and overcome natural disasters. In hurricane and tornado prone areas, for example, structures must be built to withstand strong winds, and public evacuation policies are in place. Of course, these measures do not perfectly mitigate the damage and destruction from natural disasters, but since the disasters are easier to predict, people can reasonably anticipate them and make preparations.

Not all disasters are created equal. Even when natural disasters strike suddenly, like tornadoes, flash floods, wildfires, and winter storms, they typically fit into broader historical patterns, so residents aren’t caught completely off-guard. Human-caused disasters, on the other hand, are much more difficult to predict. Most of the time, they shouldn’t have occurred in the first place. 

The types of man-made disasters are as diverse as human activity itself, encompassing events that include: 

• Chemical spills
• Hazardous material accidents
• Gas leaks
• Explosions
• Dam failures
• Train derailments, plane crashes, and other transportation accidents
• Terrorism
• Industrial fires
• Nuclear meltdowns
• Building collapses

Events such as these are all the more tragic because they’re preventable. If disaster struck your community, you may have suffered damage to your property and been forced to evacuate, at great financial cost. Litigation may be necessary to recoup your losses, but you might be unsure of who’s to blame and how to file a lawsuit. In situations like these, you can trust Morgan & Morgan to make things right. 

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Evacuation Costs and Insurance Coverage

Evacuations, whether natural or man-made, can be costly to local residents. In addition to the destruction of property, there may be related health costs and evacuation costs. Because evacuations are rare, their costs can be surprising and may include: 

• Lodging
• Travel
• Loss of use
• Meals
• Emergency supplies

According to Fox Business, the average cost of evacuating can run into the thousands of dollars. The longer a family is displaced, the greater the costs of an evacuation. 

Evacuation costs may or may not be covered by homeowners’ insurance or business interruption insurance. Generally, insurance policies only cover the costs of evacuation when there is physical damage to the residence or business. This is not the case in some disasters, however. 

There may actually be no damage to homes if there is a gas leak, chemical contamination, or damage to critical infrastructure, but residents still might be under government orders to evacuate. It could also be the case that homeowners’ insurance should cover evacuation costs, but the insurance company claims that the event was not a covered loss under the policy. 

It may be necessary in such cases to file a lawsuit against a private company, a public entity, or both. To give one example, following a catastrophic dam failure in Michigan, residents filed lawsuits against the owner of the dam, the State of Michigan, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). 

Don’t Let Financial Disaster Complicate Matters

Many things in life are beyond our control. You may have no choice but to evacuate your home and place of business in the event of a disaster. Evacuation costs can quickly add up and once you’re cleared to return, you could face further costs to repair your property. 

The disaster was not your fault, so why should you have to pay anything? Certain out-of-pocket expenses might be absorbed in the short-term with the expectation that insurance benefits are forthcoming. But what if the insurance company delays, denies, or underpays your claim? 

For more than 30 years, Americans have trusted Morgan & Morgan to make things right in the most difficult times. Our evacuation lawyers have handled litigation involving many catastrophic events, from dam collapses and gas explosions to wildfires and chemical poisonings. Victims may not be able to control what happened, but they can control what happens next by putting America’s largest injury firm on the case. 

Talk to a lawyer now: call 877 958 9130 or contact us.